


Shared Braincells

by Amira_Illusion



Category: Sanders Sides (Web Series)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Fusion, Alternate Universe - Human, Alternate Universe - Magic, Angst, But also, Did I mention fusion?, Fluff, Fusion, How Do I Tag, M/M, Minor Violence, Non-Graphic Violence, Remus is in this, So is Roman and he's not exactly always kid friendly, Swearing, Sympathetic Deceit Sanders, Tags May Change, The Original Characters are the fusions btw, Thought you'd like to know, Why Did I Write This?, are you really surprised, fusion au, i love him a lot tho, probably, sexual innuendo
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-07-10
Updated: 2019-07-20
Packaged: 2020-06-26 03:18:30
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 4,181
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19759513
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Amira_Illusion/pseuds/Amira_Illusion
Summary: Imagine for me a world. This world is kind of like ours except that no one bats an eye when two people fuse into one being. It's just what you do, you know?Now imagine the characters from Sander Sides, as teens, in this world and you've got a basic gist of the plot.There may be a fighting competition to be won as well. The Sides really want to win.





	1. Chapter 1 - The Chapter in which Roman faceplants concrete.

He had destabilised.

Apollo felt shame welling up in him, painfully contrasting to the soothing sensation rushing under his skin.

-how could I allow this? At this rate we will never be ready//-you need to breathe kiddo//-I shall die from the shame, did you see their face, they’ll never let us forget this//-Mirai won’t care unless it hurts us//-I am a failu-

To be perfectly honest, Apollo was impressed he hadn’t unfused right there and then. He felt heavy and ill, a splitting pain coming from his head and travelling down his spine, splitting them in two and oh gosh, kiddo, breATHE.

Something silver flashed in their vision. Like a rubber band that had been pulled back from two sides, his consciousness was flung together. 

Heart pounding, he moved by instinct. A teal shield manifested itself, tightly gripped by one of his arms. Another arm held firmly onto the red tinted katana, leaving the third (and last) arm to follow the others into a protective stance. The adrenaline rushing around his body forced his attention away from the third arm, the cause of his panic and a side effect of his destabilisation.

He was alert, trying to see where the danger was coming from. Because it was definitely coming. This was supported by the perfectly practical throwing knife that had lodged itself into the shield. It had been thrown with precision, just enough force used to allow it stay stuck and aimed so well that it had pierced through the exact centre.

If his opponent was anyone else, Apollo would have questioned it. Anyone else except them.

‘Although I didn’t foresee this particular scenario, your reaction to it was far too predictable A.’ The words were stoic but the tone was not. Sure it was composed, as everything about them was, but the tone was familiar and teasing. Usually it made him feel safe, after all banter was the glue holding all of them together, but right now it made something uncomfortable curl inside him.

Apollo was going to disappoint Mirai so much. He always did.

‘Hey A,’ Mirai began, voice like a beam of light breaking through the clouds,’are you okay to continue?’

Apollo knew what he should answer. He also knew that, no matter how much Patton insisted on it, no matter how honest it was, Roman’s ego would not allow that answer to be given. Apollo’s ego would not allow that answer to be given.

Instead Apollo only raised the katana in his hand and grinned, his usual, natural self-confidence and optimism flooding back so suddenly it left him light-headed.  
Mirai inclined their head. ‘I am not surprised. I couldn’t be fully sure you would want to continue but there was such a high probability.’ They held another throwing knife between their fingers, always prepared and always vigilant. ‘I will continue to claim that Roman makes you stubborn,’ They smirked. ‘And so helpfully predictable.’

Predictable? Predictable? Me? I’ll show them predictable!//Oh come on Roman, you know Mirai and how they can get. It just shows how well they know you!

Apollo had to shake their, no wait, his head to try to focus. How on earth did Perms keep together? He’d been himself again for maybe a couple minutes and he was already falling apart.

Another flash of silver and another knife joined the first on his shield.

‘I do wish you would focus.’ Mirai sighed, all three eyes rolling in unison as they started losing patience with the scatter-brained fusion.

Apollo felt his face heat up with a flush. It wasn’t his fault and anyway, what did it matter? The competition was a month away, they all had plenty of time.

As if they knew exactly what he was thinking (and knowing the fusion, that wasn’t unlikely), Mirai sighed again. ‘I suppose we can try again later when you are feeling better.’

Before Apollo could answer, something he found extremely rude, Mirai had relaxed from their usual pose and closed their eyes. The knives from the shield disappeared and the fusion began to deconstruct before his eyes. Eyes he soon had to close because of how bright the light emanating from the defusion was.

When he did finally open his eyes, a curious sight greeted him. He had seen his friend defuse many times but, no matter how hard they tried, Virgil and Logan could never succeed to do it gracefully. To defuse gracefully was an acquired skill, nurtured by trust and practice. Even the four of them, close friends and fusion partners, had never achieved it together. 

Each of them wanted to do it though. Logan, a cut and dry perfectionist, thought it more practical than falling into a disorganised pile of limbs. Virgil, stricken with anxiety as he was, feared the consequences of a hasty defusion. Patton, driven so strongly by emotion, felt that succeeding would be a milestone, a sign that they had grown closer. Roman, however, a performer at heart, yearned for it because it would be the satisfying finale to a grand show. The full stop at the end of a grand proclamation.

They had never managed to do it.

And yet there stood Logan, arms firmly holding Virgil in the dipped position they had fused in. Apollo felt something bitter sweep through him. He wasn’t sure who the emotion belonged to. All he knew was that Virgil and Logan were still staring at each other, disbelief painted on their faces, bodies in the close proximity required to fuse in the first place.

Apollo felt another wave of that bitter emotion. It didn’t feel like his.

The pressure in his head returned, stretching past his spine and to his feet. He loved being himself but it wasn’t enough to be permanent. He needed to let Patton and Roman go, for now.

It wasn’t painful if he didn’t fight it and he wasn't fighting, letting himself become themselves.

Soon he’s gone.

And then he’s Roman, falling. He hisses in pain as he makes contact with the concrete floor.

Above him somewhere he can hear Patton and he feels the bubbly person tripping over his legs.

The moment that had stretched between Virgil and Logan shatters as both teens move to catch Patton.

The time after defusing can be confusing. Roman takes a minute as his thoughts get used to all the space they have again. While he and Patton can easily fuse and maintain the fusion due to how similar they are, this also means they are both too emotional to not break the fusion’s train of thought.

It also means that in the seconds following defusion, Roman can still remember the way Patton’s thoughts feel compressed into his. While Logan and Virgil can hold conversations without disturbing Mirai, Patton and Roman spiral and disturb Apollo’s thoughts.

Ugh. No wonder Logan and Virgil can defuse without face planting the floor.

Roman opens his eyes, not realising he’d closed them. Virgil and Logan are still unnecessarily close but both are holding Patton, keeping him upright while he, too, readjusts.

It takes him a while to notice that Logan is talking.

‘-I personally don’t understand it but Mirai was convinced Apollo had panicked because of the third arm. Was this correct?’

‘Um? I think so?’ Patton answers, blinking rapidly. Roman can only assume that he is trying to gather his thoughts close enough to be at all understandable.

‘Look, L, the arm is technically moving backwards instead of forwards. Before today, they managed to make Apollo look normal,’ here Virgil used his free hand to do air quotes for the word normal. Normal was dictated by society. ‘But now he’s got three arms.’

Offence boiled in his veins. ‘Listen here Mr Fortune Teller, three arms is not lack of progress!’ 

Virgil rolled his eyes, blowing his fringe so the dark blue orbs could be more visible. ‘Then why did you panic?’

Roman managed a defensive scoff. ‘Panic? Me?’ He sat up, eager to defend his honor and groaned as a fresh wave of pain crashed through him.

‘We were just concerned.’ Patton successfully interjected. ‘We have a month left and Mirai has-’

‘Mirai has stabilised with three eyes.’ Logan interrupted, voice devoid of any particular emotion. ‘They will not mind if Apollo is less than perfect.’ He emphasised the last word, eyes flicking between Roman and Patton. 

‘And he would know, he’s been in their head.’ Virgil smirked.

‘Actually, I am them.’ Logan corrected, knowing full well there was no reason to. This was now turning into mindless fluff, filler to allow them all to recollect themselves.

Roman zoned out again.

They had a month before the first stage of the Fusion Tournament. They had less than a month to sign up and they needed all that time to adjust their casual fusions to combat centered ones.

They would probably not revisit Apollo for a couple of days. Tomorrow he had another chance to prove himself, with Virgil or with Logan. He could either do that or watch from the sidelines as the others stabilise more and more with each try.

Tomorrow. He would make them proud tomorrow. After all, if he couldn't even do what he was born into, what use was he at anything? 


	2. The Chapter in which Eden is traumatised.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A little world building in class.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Things to note. I don't know how this all works but I feel like I should warn that there is indeed swearing and sexual innuendo in this chapter. 
> 
> Additionally, Deceit is called Eden because... I can't remember. 
> 
> And lastly, no new fusions but a lot of terms that make sense to me but might make less sense to people that are not me.

́Can anyone tell me what this is called?’ asked the teacher to the class. She asked this hoping, or maybe pretending, that someone would actually want to answer. Eden, personally, found the chance of a volunteer very unlikely.

The teacher wasn’t new but she wasn’t particularly well established in the school. She was called Miss Incapaz, a unique name for a very mundane person, and she wasn’t exactly well-liked amongst the students. Which brought him back to the unlikeliness of a volunteer.

Some teachers argue that a student’s capacity to learn is not dictated by the teachers ability to teach or even how likeable they were. These, Eden had found in his time weaving through the education system, tended to be the teachers who demanded respect rather than attempt to demonstrate why they should have it. These teachers also tended to-

‘No volunteers? Then, Virgil, can you tell me what this is called?’ Miss Incapaz gestured to the board and, oh, Eden had forgotten this was Fusion Studies. This was probably because teaching something like Fusion Studies to a room full of teenagers rather than, say, children seemed incredibly odd in a society that revolves around finding your one true partner to meld together with. Also because Eden found what they were being taught to be absolute BS.

Virgil, Eden noticed with the tiniest hint of sadistic amusement, was just as nervous to answer a question he knew the answer to as he was when faced with the impossible challenge of confronting his crush. Eden could volunteer and help the most anxious person he’d had the pleasure of meeting out of a bad situation. He could. But he wasn’t going to. He knew Virgil wouldn’t benefit from it in the slightest.

‘That’s a stereotypical example of a two person, standard Perm?’ Virgil managed after an extended staring contest with the teacher. You’d think he would have kept it short to speak as little as possible but then, you probably didn’t know Virgil as well as Eden did. He always had to get his opinion across, even if it was just an additional word or two.

Miss Incapaz was, not surprisingly, a tad disappointed with that answer. It was, after all, not ripped directly from a textbook and had been said with just enough emphasis to “challenge the status quo” or whatever.

‘Thank you for answering Virgil.’ Said the teacher with a tone of voice that told how much she regretted picking on Virgil and would not be doing so again. This, Eden knew, suited Virgil a lot thank you very much, so really, it was the best outcome the situation could have had. 

Just as the teacher was about to finally continue from repeating most of the textbook back at them, a hand went up into the air. Eden, was he not a person that cared too much about appearing not to care, could have screamed. Instead he did so internally.

‘Miss? What is a Perm?’ was a question that Eden considered to be a very good demonstration on how school had failed at its job. They were all nearly adults and yet here was a human who didn’t know about a majority of their world's inhabitants.

‘That is a great question Jay.’ On second thought, the question wasn’t that bad if you considered the fact that Miss Incapaz should have used the official term from the beginning. The fact that Virgil had used the term Perm was the only thing wrong with the answer he had given and yet the teacher had attempted to correct everything but that. This, Eden thought, was particularly telling. ‘Would anyone like to answer?’

Eden was surprised to see her trying to find a volunteer again but was shocked when she actually got one. This shock was reflected on the teachers face and she seemed to hesitate before calling on them.

‘Yes Remus?’

Eden joined into the actions of the class as he turned to face this Remus. While he thought himself extremely observant, he wasn’t good with names and he only vaguely remembered this face from fights he had witnessed. Maybe the yellow on his face, a result of a fading black eye and bruises, was why Eden was suddenly so interested when he hadn’t been before.

‘Perm is slang for Permanent Fusion obviously. They’re considered a type of fusion but really it's just a fusion that is always fused.’ Remus had an interesting appearance but even more interesting opinions. ‘So easy to understand that I’d say even a preschooler could if anyone bothered to teach them.’

‘Yes, well…’ The teacher interrupted, wary. ‘I’m sorry to say that isn’t quite correct. The actual definition of a Perm is that it is a type of fusion that takes place between two people that is so stable, they can and choose to persist for long periods of time.’

‘Two?’ Someone called out.

‘Yes. As I said last lesson, fusions with more than two people are horribly unstable and cannot persist for longer than a couple hours at most. These types of fusion also tend to result in bodily harm and are emotionally damaging so I must advise against them.’ The lie amused Eden. It was just one of the many that society told. However, a quick glance to the left confirmed what he was expecting. Virgil had dug his nails into the desk and he was staring pointedly at the wall. Eden knew that it was time for a change in subject.

Luckily for him, and everyone really, Miss Incapaz decided to move onto the next topic. Eden saw Virgil steadying his breath but the other teens posture was now a lot more rigid. 

Eden pitied the other for how sensitive he was about this topic. It wasn't like Mama cared about the views that society had on her and so, like the mamas boy he was, neither did he. Virgil was usually too trapped by his fears to speak out but, when it came to this, he was like a bomb on a short fuse. Generally speaking, no one benefits from a bomb on a short fuse. 

Virgil turned and glared at him. Of course he did, he'd know if Eden was staring after all. Eden pretended he hadn't forgotten about that tidbit and placed a finger on his lips, smiling in a way he hoped was mysterious. Virgil snorted to himself quietly and turned back around. Mission accomplished?

‘So how do you know Virgil Mora?’ Murmured a voice in his ear. It took every single ounce of his self control not to scream. He had a lot of self control. 

Remus had somehow crept over between their desks and casually slid into the chair next to him. Eden was shocked he hadn't noticed. 

‘I'm- what?’ Eden was eloquent as always, well composed and put together as he spoke. This earned him another snort, this time from Remus. Wasn’t he just a comedian today?

‘You and Virgil. I’ve seen you around school before, together.’ Remus continued, looking disinterestedly at his fingers and were his nails painted neon green? Eden hadn’t noticed that before. Maybe he wasn’t as observant as he regarded himself as. That was a depressing thought. ‘Oi, Spacehead, focus.’

Eden glared at him as venomously as he could manage with cheeks that were tinged pink. Usually more intimidating than it currently was but he was not spacing out. He was Eden Blacker after all not a… he couldn’t even think of a metaphor. ‘What are you even asking?’

This made Remus sigh and look him in the eyes. Through making eye contact Eden realised something really, really important. Remus’ eyes were red, blood red. How incredibly unique. Maybe it was a fusion scar? ‘I’m obviously asking if you two are fucking.’

Eden made a choked hissing noise. ‘What is wrong with you?! No, we’re not…’ He cut off because of his throat closing up, a full body shudder going through him. That gave him an image he never wanted to imagine again for as long as he lived.

Remus looked panicked as he glanced at the front. ‘What’s wrong with me? What’s wrong with you? Why on earth are you shouting?’ In comparison to Eden, Remus was almost too quiet to hear which seemed odd for the type of person he was. That was, however, irrelevant at that exact moment. 

Eden grinned conspiratorially at Remus, glad he’d, from his point of view, finally gained the upper hand in the conversation. ‘You can speak up if you want,’ Eden glanced at the teacher, who was still talking, lazily, ‘she won’t hear you.’ Remus glanced at him from the corner of his eye before, hesitantly, relaxing. 

‘You’re a mute button?’ Eden took an internal double take at the question although he acted completely collected on the outside.

‘That’s certainly… one way of putting it? Although do try to be a tiny bit subtle, they can still see you talking. I can only control who can hear you.’ 

Remus grinned. ‘Oh sure, I can be covert if you’d like.’ At the disbelieving eyebrow he got from Eden, he rolled his eyes and changed the subject. ‘If you can do this, why haven’t we talked before? We’ve been in the same row for the whole school year.’

‘Well you’ve given me a fantastic first impression. You know, I never wanted to even think about him like that.’

‘Him?’

‘Virgil.’

‘Oh yeah. What can I say, I’m good at that.’ The smirk Remus had on his face managed to be proud and yet pained at the same time. ‘But why not? He’s cute.’ A thought seemed to dawn on him while Eden processed that comment. ‘Unless you’re, like, straight?’

‘Hell no.’ At least not completely. ‘It would be weird, we grew up together and-’

‘Shit, are you two brothers?’ Remus interrupted. ‘Cause I’m messed up in the head but even I’m not-’

‘We’re not brothers!’ Eden cut across him, the outburst fueled by a cocktail of countless negative emotions.

‘Woah there, Touchy, calm your tits. It’s a sensitive subject, I get it.’

‘Touchy?’ Eden looked at Remus, unimpressed.

Remus laughed in response. It sounded less amused and more nervous, not fitting well with the confident teen in front of him. ‘I don’t actually know your name so…’

‘Eden Blacker, charmed to meet you.’ Eden automatically falls back into his persona, outstretching a hand for Remus to shake. Eden mainly did it to mess with people because no one else does it so it led to amusing reactions. Remus looked at it blankly for a second before moving to shake it. Except he didn’t shake it.

Before Eden quite knew what was happening, Remus had moved their conjoined hands and was pressing a kiss to Eden’s hand like a prince from a Disney movie. Eden probably short circuited from a mixture of confusion and being incredibly flustered and so he nearly missed the introduction. ‘Remus Regio, at your service.’ Eden wouldn’t ever admit it but he imagined that, were they not in a classroom, Remus would have bowed dramatically. He seemed extra enough to do it.

When he’d recovered, which took far longer than he’d admit when telling Mama later, he managed a ‘Are you-?’ before stopping. This was not because he was overwhelmed or anything but because he was interrupted. The previously relaxed and grinning Remus had disappeared, the expression on his face reminded Eden of a cloudy sky where the sun had just been blocked out.

‘Yeah. I am related to Roman. In fact, if you’d believe it, I’m his twin.’ Remus cut across him bitterly. 

‘I was going to say,’ Eden hesitated for a second, making Remus look at him with something akin to caution. ‘Are you serious? The whole…’

‘Oh.’ Remus’ laugh seemed almost desperate. ‘No. I’m…’ He fidgeted. ‘I’m never serious.’ Remus tried for a carefree smile, probably thinking he had to fix the mounting tension, and failed.

‘It’s fine.’ Eden said flatly. ‘It’s a sensitive subject, I get it.’ Remus snorted at the echoing of his own words back at him. He seemed to finally relax. 

Remus opened his mouth to say something and froze, suddenly turning to look at the teacher. Eden, trying to not appear too concerned, followed his gaze to where Miss Incapaz was talking to one of the less pleasant classmates.

‘Why do you want to know that Hunter?’ pressed the teacher, which, to Eden, seemed like a dumb question to ask. They were here to learn after all. 

‘I’m just really curious Miss. I mean, if what you said is true, then how do Parasites form?’ Eden cringed at the slur. He wasn't surprised at its use, the word got thrown around a lot.

‘Well. Sometimes, during times of great stress, a fusion can occur subconsciously. This is how Symbiotic Twins can form.’ Hunter looked like he wanted a more in depth explanation but, predictably, the teacher moved on. Or tried to. 

Eden winced as the silence he had projected onto Remus shattered as the other addressed the teacher. ‘Are you not going to do anything about what he said?’

‘Excuse me?’ The teacher looked shocked at the lack of respect. 

‘Well, he used an offensive slur and you're carrying on as if nothing is wrong.’

‘While it's not a nice word, he's not wrong. Most Symbiotic-’

‘Not wrong?’ Remus had gotten to his feet and gained the attention of the whole class. ‘Well that's bullshit if I've ever heard it.’

‘Language.’

That just seemed to anger him more. ‘No. If you're allowing him to say that, then I'm more than allowed to swear in this used condom of a class.’

‘Sit down or I will send you to-’

‘Do you know what Miss? You thinking that word is acceptable is almost on level with you considering people who can't fuse as sub-human.’ The whispers that had been growing feel silent in unison. ‘And do you know what I've found really interesting?’ Eden could almost feel the tension, even the teacher had stopped her objections. 

‘Are you all listening?’ Remus turned to look at everyone is turn except Eden. ‘I'm…’ Pause for dramatic effect. ‘Not going to say it because I'm not a prejudice bitch like most of you, especially you teach.’ 

The class exploded into noise. The teacher could be heard, barely, over it all. ‘Get out!’

Remus bowed and Eden tried to ignore the self satisfaction he felt at having been right, Remus was indeed extra enough to bow, because it was horribly out of place. The other took a leisurely stroll to the front before turning around. Then he blew a kiss at the class. A small part of Edens brain tried to argue that it was targeted at him but most of him ignored this thought. 

The lesson, nonetheless, was not brought back under control and ended in chaos. 

The next time Eden saw Remus was at the end of the day. He saw the other walking out from behind one of the main buildings, covered in more injuries than before. This was not the first nor was it likely to be the last time he witnessed the aftermath of a fight. After all, their society allowed fighting as a reasonable way of dealing with issues for reasons unknown 

This time, however, instead of watching Remus walk home alone, he fell into step beside him. ‘Did you win?’ He asked, purely from curiosity and not at all from concern. 

Remus seemed shocked at either Eden joining him or the question. He swiftly recovered, grin in place, which put on display all his bruises and cuts and made Eden wince. ‘Do you really think I'd lose?’

Despite it all, Eden couldn't help but laugh at that response

**Author's Note:**

> I guess I'll see how good of an idea this was.


End file.
